The Jadyn Fred Foundation celebrated Christmas by sharing presents donated from people and businesses with the children the foundation has helped through the year. Families brought their children for dinner provided by Famous Dave’s BBQ, complete with a fun dessert buffet. The ability to have the party in a large banquet hall provided by AT&T allowed for a special tree, and the guest of honor, Santa!

Check out the above link for a wonderful, short video about the full event shared on KPAX during the news. Happy faces, full tummies, and a room full of blessings mark Christmas 2017 for the Jadyn Fred Foundation families and volunteers. A big thank you to all and a Merry Christmas!

The Jadyn Fred Foundation is in the news! Thank you to the Great Falls Tribune for the amazing article sharing not only a personal story of how every day people help one another, but also in the hope that the Jadyn Fred Foundation gives families and touches the hearts of all.

What do the Montana Grizzlies, Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks and his wife, Ciara, and you have in common? Love that extends beyond one person, beyond one family, beyond expectations. We’re all people that love one another and want children to have a chance to grow up.

Welcome to our guest contributor, Katie Huisman, with CMR High School HOSA, as she tells us about their buckets of love for kids with cancer. She shared her article in a special talk at the basketball game at halftime to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. Watch what a great job she did or scroll down for the article transcript…

And there’s one more opportunity on Feb. 10, 2017 at CMR vs. GTF in Great Falls. There’ll be a spaghetti feed at 4pm, silent auction, and halftime entertainment. Don’t miss it! The kids have worked hard to support their community. Let’s get out there and support them! Take it away, Katie…

Katie: CMR and GFH High School HOSA have teamed up to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer in Montana. The Jadyn Fred Foundation is an organization that helps the costs associated with caring for a child with cancer.

Standing with me is Austyn. Upon birth, the doctors discovered a large tumor on Austyn’s thigh. Within hours after delivery Austyn and Justine were air lifted to Seattle Children’s Hospital and were told their baby had cancer. At 4 days old Austyn underwent her first surgery to have a central line placed. She received 10 weeks of chemotherapy. She underwent surgery again at 3 months old to remove the tumor with minimal damage done to her leg. Austyn was able to come home for the first time at 4 months old.

Over the past five years Austyn has had numerous check-ups in Seattle. The Marchion family feels they were blessed by overwhelming support from the Great Falls Community. The Jadyn Fred Foundation was a generous supporter. Their financial support helped with medical bills, living costs and travel expenses.

Days after Austyn’s first birthday her MRI showed another spot on her leg. She had to undergo yet another surgery to have it removed. Once again the Jadyn Fred Foundation was there to help!

Austyn has now gone 4 years with no evidence of cancer. This May she will have her last check up. If all is well she will be considered cancer free! The Marchion family can’t express how grateful they are for the Jadyn Fred foundation and all of their support.

We are selling CMR T-shirts up near the concession stand and currently passing around buckets for donations to support the Jadyn Fred Foundation as they continue to help other families in Montana like Austyn’s. Thank you for your support of such a worthy organization.

JFF: We are grateful for the overwhelming success of this buckets of love fundraiser event. Thank you to all who contributed. You’ve made a difference in the lives of Montana children just like Austyn! See you all Feb. 10th!

http://www.jadynfred.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/jff7.png00JFF Helperhttp://www.jadynfred.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/jff7.pngJFF Helper2017-02-03 12:19:142017-02-03 12:19:14CMR High School Buckets of Love

Sloan has been under treatment for a benign tumor. The tumor has caused difficulty for her due to its position over her nose, mouth, and side of face. She’s been featured in the Missoulian and a recipient of assistance from the Jadyn Fred Foundation.

Wells Fargo Missoula South makes a child happy with her own life-sized pony…

We’re proud to work with businesses like the Wells Fargo Missoula South branch because they care about the children of Montana. Wells Fargo Bank Missoula South provided the pony for Sloan to add joy to her life while she undergoes life-changing treatments for her tumor. Bravo, Wells Fargo!

These businesses helped the Jadyn Fred Foundation provide financial support to the JFF children and families. Please consider supporting them when making buying decisions.

Thank you so much for providing help and smiles to Montana children through the Jadyn Fred Foundation, Windermere Real Estate!

Lots of appreciation to the Lambros Foundationfor helping us provide for children and family needs through the Jadyn Fred Foundation!

Because DirectTV opened their banquet meeting room to us, the Jadyn Fred Foundation was able to hold the Christmas party there. Santa came and gave out presents. Thank you, http://www.directv.com/Missoula!

Thank you Trailwest Bank ( https://trailwest.bank/) choosing to support the Jadyn Fred Foundation families. Your support made a difference in the lives of children and families in Montana!

We appreciate the Max & Betty Swanson Foundation for the help you give the children and families the Jadyn Fred Foundation serves!

Thank you to the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation (https://www.facebook.com/dpwfoundation/?fref=ts). The amazing support you give the Jadyn Fred Foundation helps make a huge difference in Montana children and in their families lives.

Thank you, Famous Dave’s for the awesome Christmas dinner during the Christmas party for the JFF families!!

In Missoula, Montana no one has to struggle alone. My daughter, Jadyn, was struggling with the possibility of a future without any cure for her rare form of cancer, pancreatoblastoma. Her doctors in Seattle suggested our family take a vacation or do something special with Jadyn. They feared her future was uncertain, but she was healthy enough at that time to have fun and feel well, too. What six-year old wouldn’t want to make memories on vacation?

Alecia and Britt Fred

I asked my husband, Britt, a busy painting contractor, if he could manage time off work, if we had the funds to go, and with Jadyn’s special medical needs, were we able to make a vacation a reality. Many factors had to come together for this trip to come to fruition. Honestly, I thought Britt would say, “It won’t work right now”.

Rylee hugs big sis, Jadyn

I thought of a place Jadyn and Rylee, our youngest daughter at the time, would enjoy, of course Disneyland popped into my mind. I had nothing to lose and Britt surprisingly said, “Yes, I think we should go to Disneyland”.

Grateful, and a bit shocked by the nod to go forward on this special vacation for Jadyn, I called family in Utah, Nevada, and Virginia to see if they’d like to join us. Britt asked his family here in Missoula, and the ball was rolling. Members at Missoula Alliance Church, the YMCA staff, Montana Hope Project officers, and extended family caught wind of our situation and plans and the generosity started to flow.

Flights were donated from generous donors to some of my family in Virginia so they could join us in California. Providentially, the rest of my family happened to have openings in their schedules and the funds at the time to drive to California. Britt’s family was also available and made flight reservations with the four of us. Every family member made it to Disneyland, except one. Twenty people, on short notice, from as far as Virginia converged in one spot for a vacation of a lifetime.

Jadyn meets Minnie

As the Missoula family was preparing to leave, the YMCA staff gave us beach bags filled with goodies for our trip, including walkie talkies to keep all of us in touch, beach hats and sunglasses, disposable cameras, and more. Extended family sent cash, for all at the park, and Mickey Mouse shirts for the girls. A generous group at Missoula Alliance Church bought most of the tickets for our family to get into Disneyland. Even the Montana Hope Project dived in to help. They contacted a Anaheim motel that gave extremely low rates for each room. The motel manager went even further—and met us at the gate, with three local businessmen, to give a few of us their passes each day so none of us had to pay for tickets. Jadyn was given a special speed pass to get her to the front of each ride so she didn’t have to wait in long lines. She was then able to enjoy more rides. She went on the Peter Pan Ride several times, in a row, and named it her “favorite ride”. So many thoughtful details went into making our vacation special. We felt overwhelming gratitude, and still do!

Without the effort of numerous organizations, and community members, Jadyn’s trip would not have been a dream come true. She was so overjoyed to spend four glorious days with all of her loved ones that the smile never left her face. For four days Jadyn left her struggles behind. We all cherished every moment with her and will never forget our experience.

The Jadyn Fred Foundation, started after Jadyn’s death March 23, 2001, strives to bring a little help to families in situations like ours. Maybe we don’t fulfill dreams like vacations to Disneyland, but we can send a ray of hope when bills are piling up and life’s challenges seem overwhelming. We experienced

Jadyn at the Seattle Children’s Hospital

this first-hand when Jadyn was rushed to Seattle Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery, which began our three year journey in and out of hospitals. Our mission is to reach out to our community, and beyond, to help children with cancer, and any child with special medical needs, to cover costs associated with travel to medical facilities and bills not covered by insurance, including prescriptions. Everyone needs help once in a while—and that is the Jadyn Fred Foundation’s purpose.

For applications online go to www.jadynfred.org. Lynn Fred, Britt’s father and Executive Director, will receive the application, forward it to the JFF Board of Directors and it will generally be approved in three days.
+ Making a difference one life at a time.